By Chris Williams: Light welterweight Ricky Hatton will be in for the fight of his life on May 2nd as he tries to defeat what many in the boxing world consider to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport in taking on Manny Pacquiao. Neither fighter is unblemished, having lost previously in the past to good fighters. However, at least in the case of Pacquiao, he’s vastly improved since being defeated by Erik Morales three years ago in 2005 and fights nothing like the limited manner that he fought back then.
Hatton, 30, is essentially the same fighter that was rudely taken out by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a 10th round TKO in December 2007. Still leaping with his left hook, boring in without a jab and throwing far too many power shots, Hatton is what he’s always been – a slugger and nothing more.
His ability to get around the ring hasn’t improved since his loss to Mayweather, as he looked downright dreadful in his fight with Journeyman Juan Lazcano, plodding after him round by round, taking two punches to deliver one of his own big shots.
There was a small bit of improvement in Hatton’s boxing skills in his recent fight with Paulie Malignaggi on November 22nd, although it’s hard to say how much improvement because Malignaggi isn’t in the same class as Hatton is, and the fight was a mismatch the moment it was signed for.
The small change in Hatton’s style, the addition of an occasional jab and a little bit better head movement, needs to go to his new trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., who took it on himself to teach Hatton better defensive skills in hopes that it would prolong his career.
It may not have the effect of prolonging his career much, considering that Hatton will likely fight only two more times after the Pacquiao fight, but it will help to prevent him from getting hit so often as he has through much of his career.
Mayweather can probably help Hatton somewhat in learning better defensive techniques, but there’s little hope that he can add hand speed to Hatton’s tool box, which is what he needs most of all going into his fight with the speedy Pacquiao. Hatton could possibly compensate for his lack of speed by timing Pacquiao better, and delivering his powerful shots in that manner.
However, Hatton won’t be able to bull rush him and run him over like he has against most of his opponents. That’s going to be a problem for Hatton, because he’s become so accustomed to walking through his weaker opponents and hasn’t had to learn how get by on more finesse oriented moves like most boxers.
Clearly, Hatton is going to need multiple strategies to use if he has a hope of beating Pacquiao, because if he goes into the fight with no plan B or C, he’s going to get drilled to pieces by Pacquiao straight away. If he’s smart, he’ll figure out that Pacquiao likes to fight in and out with his attacks, and then try to time him when he comes at him and meet him with power shots.
As long as he can limit the damage in these attacks, he might survive into the later rounds of the fight where he has a fighting chance at possibly winning a close decision. But it’s doubtful he’ll have a good enough strategy to beat Pacquiao and will end up being beaten to a bloody pulp like so many other Pacquiao opponents.
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